Winter tire Question

[mcdonaldb]

Can Anyone suggest some good winter tires for E39 530I, 16" rims on there now. Looking to get some winter tires for the Minnesota snow season and then get a new set of some 17" and street tires. Any suggestions on winter tires, 17" rims and tires for summer, or maybe just get another set of the stock 16" rims like the set i have now for summer. Anyone selling some rims for a 530?

[Qsilver7]

Can Anyone suggest some good winter tires for E39 530I, 16" rims on there now. Looking to get some winter tires for the Minnesota snow season and then get a new set of some 17" and street tires. Any suggestions on winter tires, 17" rims and tires for summer, or maybe just get another set of the stock 16" rims like the set i have now for summer. Anyone selling some rims for a 530?

I suggest going to www.tirerack.com and check out their winter tire section (and do the "tire decision guide" for choosing "summer" tires). It's a great source of information...and you can get info that is specific for your application. Winter tires that are good for someone living in Seattle WA, is different than someone living in Nebraska, which is different than someone living in the urban areas of New England, which is different than someone living in rural areas around the Great Lakes.

The climatic and geographic regions are so diverse in the United States, that to ask "what is the best snow tire" will have all kinds of answers tossed your way...but may not be what you need living in Minnesota. Tire technology, being what it is today, has lots of different choices based on different environmental and driving style...do yourself a big favor and study what's out there and then make an informed decision based on the accurate research you did. Good luck. :)

BTW, I have 18" Continental CH95 all-seasons on the e38...just in case I do get caught in a surprise snowfall in early fall or late spring. (I don't drive it in any appreciable snow) The e34 Touring has 17" Kumho Ecsta ASX all-seasons for the same reason above...and I also mount 16" Michelin Arctic Alpins (dedicated snow tires) on the Touring sometime between Thanksgiving and Xmas. The streets here in northeast Indiana get plowed pretty well during big snows...so I needed a snow tire that could hold up to many miles running over asphalt as well as having good snow/ice traction. Some snow tires are only good for driving on snow and appreciable snow pack (like in rural areas) and will wear down quickly driving on paved roads...thus giving you reduced years of service. Choose wisely. :cool

[nd4spd]

I use the Dunlop M2 performance snow tire. I believe Dunlop has updated the tire to the M3 but a full range of sizes are not available yet. I have found the M2's to be excellent for our Cincinnati winters. Even though they are milder than yours, we have had a few snows that tested their abilities and they did very well. Tire Rack's customer ratings put the M3's as #1 and the M2's at #3. Since you have more snow and ice to contend with, you may want to go with a more pronounced snow/ice pattern like the the Bridgestone Blizzak WS 50.

Don't forget to wave at all of those invincable SUV's in the ditch as you drive by.

[Kdog2112]

I like Michellin Mxv4's....My 5er doesnt move in the winter with them on...but you do pay for the name

[mcdonaldb]

how do you think the dunlop m2 or m3 would be in the summer? could i use these for winter and summer?

[nd4spd]

They would work fine but you will not get much milage out of them. Probably no more than 15k to 20k of easy driving. They are made with a compound that stays soft in winter temperatures. That compound softems up even more when you are humming down the freeway at 80mph on an 85 degree day. (I know your summers are short but not that short) They may also be a little louder and may not provide optimum dry traction.

Bite the bullit and get dedicated winter tires AND wheels. You can easily put them on when you will need them, not be charged for switching tires twice a year, and get at least three seasons of safe motoring out of them. Then you can also have dedicated summer tires that don't compromise wet or dry traction when it is warm and save the good wheels from the tourture of winter.

[Tahoe M3]

I put 16" 225/50 (Ithink that's the size, check Tirerack) Bridgestone Blizzak WS-50s on my car for the winter. They are not a high perfornance tire so they squirm a bit at speed and I can't drive over 100 mph for any length of time and they wear fairly quickly (2 to 3 winter seasons) but they can't be beat in the snow and ice. I must admit to being anxious to put my 18" M-Parallels with RE-750s on in the spring but I would rather be safe and not bang up my baby.

[stuntride]

you can use any tire in the winter just depends on your driving skills. me, i like to get sideways and my best friend is a prfessional race car driver so i see it all as fun but hey, thats just my opinion. i dont know anything about winter tires, sorry i can help

[nd4spd]

I will beg to differ on the "any tire in the winter thing" If you have ever been caught with summer tires in an instant 2" snow storm, all of the skill, traction control and antilock brakes will not necessarly save you. In this instance, I was driving so slow and cautious, I could have crawled home quicker. It was still an absolute nightmare. With the hills we have around here and the speed of which the snow came, (read no salt yet) I almost parked the car and walked home to avoid the possible damage. Snow tires, or even M+S would have made all of the difference.

Tire choice is always one of the MOST important things to speed and saftey. Just ask your racing buddy, I am sure he spends alot of time with tire choice when he races.

[Mini4x]

Blizzaks or Artic Alpins!

[Tahoe M3]

I'm a confirmed Blizzak fan.